


Burial Rites

by Mythological Freak (starfreckledchild)



Series: A Garden of Bloom and Doom [1]
Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Demeter buries Kore, F/M, Multi, Parent-Child Relationship, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27014614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starfreckledchild/pseuds/Mythological%20Freak
Summary: Demeter wears black to Persephone's wedding
Relationships: Hades & Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hades/Persephone, Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: A Garden of Bloom and Doom [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1971556
Comments: 6
Kudos: 103





	Burial Rites

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Flash Fiction (A Collection of Shorts)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26178016) by [Myth_is_a_Mirror](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myth_is_a_Mirror/pseuds/Myth_is_a_Mirror). 



> This was inspired by Myth_is_a_mirror's story "A New Season" where she plays with the concept of Demeter turning up dressed in black at Persephone's wedding.

Persephone couldn’t believe her eyes.

But there she sat, her mother, real as ever, imposing as only the children of the Titans knew how to be. 

And she was wearing all black.

To her daughter’s wedding.

Persephone felt like crying. But she was also angered. And yet, relieved beyond belief. She hadn’t thought her mother would show up. Not after the temper tantrum she’d thrown when she found out about Hades. And that had been months ago. But Persephone had sent the invitation anyway only to reassure herself. She had been invited, whatever happened next was in her hands. 

Her mother was here, on her wedding day. And yet, it didn’t feel as it ought to. As Persephone knew she should have felt on her wedding day. A single tear rolled down her cheek before she could stop it, and as if prompted by it, a myriad of others followed its trail, and Persephone had to hold the back of her hand to her mouth in order to choke back a sob. 

Why was her mother being so unfair? Why did she want to make Persephone choose between the love of a mother and the love of a husband? She loved Hades. With every fiber of her being. With every ounce of divine ichor flowing through her veins, and she was not going to give him up. Not now, not ever. Let alone for the amusement of her cruel mother. 

_Mama, I am sorry. But I love him. And he loves me, and when I look at him, every bit of me is set aflame, and when I don’t it hurts to breathe. It hurts to think. It hurts and aches. And he is so good to me mama, I promise you he loves me._

Her mother should have been happy for her. And if not, at least supportive. It wasn’t fair that _Hestia_ out of all people had to be the one to give her away, and Hera the one to tell her what to expect from marriage. What it entailed. Demeter should have done all that.

What would happen then, if they had a babe?

Her heart shattered inside her chest, a sob breaking free despite her resistance. Her small frame shook with it. The bright blue forget-me-nots in her hair withering with every tear. She knew Hades couldn’t give her a child the conventional way, but Persephone loved him and it did not matter to her. She herself had been created, and goddesses had all sorts of manners in which they could conceive children. But what if their babe looked like its father? Would Demeter deny her grandchild? Would she turn away from it, as she had turned away from her only daughter?

And for what? What had been Persephone’s sin? What had she done that was so terrible Demeter could not forgive her so-called wayward daughter? Was her love for Hades such an abominable thing to her mother’s eyes? Was happiness too much to ask for?

_No_

Persephone stilled, fisting her tiny hands in anger. Her mother was being _selfish_ and purposefully cruel. And so, so incredibly manipulative. And Persephone was done with her crap. She had been manipulating Persephone ever since she’d stopped being a compliant child, forcing her hand that and this way in subtle manners, so as to take any semblance of free will and choice away from her. But not anymore. 

All in the name of love, she had said. She did it because she didn’t want her to be hurt.

But she _had_ been hurt. And all because of her mother’s sheltering. 

Her mother’s love was smothering and a chokehold and Hades was a breath of sweet air into her lungs. And Persephone loved her mother, but she loved her freedom more than she could ever come to love the sun, or plowing the fields with her mother. 

Her mother had arrived in all black. Persephone suddenly understood, her mother had not come for her wedding. A funeral. A demise. She’d come to bury Kore, her daughter. 

But Kore was not dead. No. Reborn. As Persephone. This was just her baptism. A new beginning. 

With this knowledge, she unfurled her hands and dabbed her fingers under her waterline, trying to salvage some of her makeup. 

If Demeter thought her daughter was dead, well, then so be it. 

The Queen of the Underworld could and _would_ play the part. 


End file.
